Gaza: Demand humane treatment for Gilad Shalit

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Gilad Shalit was seized by Palestinian armed groups from an Israeli military base near the Gaza Strip on 25 June 2006.

His continuing incommunicado detention brings into relief the plight of detainees used by both sides of the Israel/Gaza conflict as bargaining chips in political negotiations.

UPDATE: 13 NOVEMBER 2009
This video of Gilad Shalit was passed to the Israeli government by a German mediator who is facilitating negotiations between Hamas and Israel over the captured soldier's release. Gilad Shalit's family approved its public broadcast.

In addition, the Fact Finding Mission into the Gaza Conflict, led by Justice Richard Goldstone, recommended that Gilad Shalit should be treated as a prisoner of war, that the International Committee of the Red Cross should have access to him and that he be released on humanitarian grounds.

UPDATE: 26 JANUARY 2009
Gilad Shalit is rumoured to have been wounded by shrapnel, or even killed, during recent Israeli bombardment of Gaza.

In early January 2009, a Palestinian armed group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, announced that "sources in the Palestinian resistance" had confirmed to them that Gilad Shalit had been injured by shrapnel in an Israeli air strike on 28 December 2008, and was in a serious condition.

We are also deeply concerned by comments made by Hamas deputy leader, Moussa abu Marzouk.

On 11 January 2009, the London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Hayat quoted abu Marzouk as saying: "Shalit may have been wounded, and he may not have been. The subject no longer interests us. We are not interested in his well-being at all, and we are not giving him any special guard since he is worth no more than a cat."

Background information:

Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was captured on 25 June 2006 by Palestinian armed groups in an attack on an army base near the Gaza Strip.

The attack killed two other soldiers and left another injured. Gilad has been held in secret ever since.

The attack was carried out by Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, which is the military wing of Hamas, and the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), which is an umbrella militant group that includes members loyal to several Palestinian armed groups.

We believe they are currently holding Gilad in the Gaza Strip. However since his capture, he has not been allowed to make any contact with the outside world and has been denied visits by the Red Cross.

Indeed, the last proof that he is still alive came in June 2008 when he was allowed to write a letter to his parents as a humanitarian gesture.

In the letter, Gilad’s father says his son begged for his life and asked that efforts be made to secure his release as soon as possible.

In return for his release, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades and the Popular Resistance Committees are demanding the release of 9,200 Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli.

Following Gilad’s capture, the Israeli authorities launched a prolonged military offensive against the Gaza Strip. Code-named "Operation Summer Rain," it included air strikes and shelling which killed hundreds of Palestinians, including dozens of children and unarmed bystanders.  

These attacks failed to secure Gilad’s release and negotiations mediated largely through the Egyptian government have also failed.

We believe that Gilad Shalit should be treated humanely as a prisoner of war and allowed visits from the Red Cross.

 EMAIL   FAX 

Gilad Shalit was seized by Palestinian armed groups from an Israeli military base near the Gaza Strip on 25 June 2006.

His continuing incommunicado detention brings into relief the plight of detainees used by both sides of the Israel/Gaza conflict as bargaining chips in political negotiations.

UPDATE: 13 NOVEMBER 2009
This video of Gilad Shalit was passed to the Israeli government by a German mediator who is facilitating negotiations between Hamas and Israel over the captured soldier's release. Gilad Shalit's family approved its public broadcast.

In addition, the Fact Finding Mission into the Gaza Conflict, led by Justice Richard Goldstone, recommended that Gilad Shalit should be treated as a prisoner of war, that the International Committee of the Red Cross should have access to him and that he be released on humanitarian grounds.

Please call on Gilad Shalit's captors to treat him humanely and allow him visits from the Red Cross.

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• Read more about Gaza detainees (PDF)